Crawford Ellis Deed

Do you often read and/or transcribe the section following a deed where a judge or justice of the peace confirms the identities of the party or parties involved? If so, have you ever found a ‘genealogy’ in one of those statements?

That is what I recently found in an 1842 deed where some of John Crawford’s land is sold in Lincoln County, Kentucky by Rebecca Ellis, Escher Ellis, Ruhama McCoy and Harriet Sponseller.

he was well ac
quainted with Rebecca Ellis Mother to Rebecca Ellis Escher
Ellis Rheuhama McCoy and Harriet Sponseller the signers
of the foregoing Power of Attorney previously to her marriage
when she was Rebecca Crawford daughter of Robert Crawford

This simple statement is a major clue to the descendants of John Crawford of Lincoln County, Kentucky. The deed is found on pages 420-422 of Volume R of the Lincoln County, Kentucky deeds.

image 572 (in Volume R)
page 420

Know all men by these presents that we Rebecca Ellis and Esther Ellis and
Escher Ellis , and Escher Ellis , Rehama McCoy of Franklin County
Pennsylvania and Frederick Sponseller Harriet Sponseller of Wash
ington county and State of Maryland being the heirs and legal
representatives of John Crawford decd who departed this life in the
County of Lincoln and State of Kentucky have nominated consulted
and appointed John C Bashford our time and lawful attorney
per us and in our names places , and steads to institute any suit or suits
either at Common Law or in equity in the State of Kentucky for any and all and
evry other thing whatsoever to which we may in any way
be invited in and to each and every species of property with

page 421

State of Kentucky whether the same be real personal or mixed which
descended to us by virtue of the laws of descent in Kentucky in conse
quence of the death of said Crawford , and we further authorize and re
quest our said Attorney to employ any and all such attorney or attorneys
and counsellor at Law to carry on and prosecute the business in such name
and under such circumstances as he or they may think best for all con
cerned , and to make any contract or contracts and to give such fee or fees
as he our said attorney may think proper , and to the advantage of all
concerned , we further authorize our said Attorney to enter into and take
possession of any and all the Lands which may be recovered in the State
of Kentucky , and to take possession of all and any of the slaves which
may be succeeded for he is further Authorized and invested with full ample
and complete power to settle and adjust all claims and controversies touch
ing the matter in contest to settle and compromise all or any suit or suits
with any and all the necessary parties to the same and to sign any deed
or deeds of conveyance or other instrument of writing to any and all persons
interested in and about said land and slaves , and every other species of
property relative to said business on the reception of any money from the
estate of said John Crawford decd in fact our said Attorney and to all
incents and purposes authorized empowered and requested to do any and all
business he may think proper and deem necessary about said premises
as fully as we could do were we personally present acting and doing for
ourselves , our said attorney is further authorized and invested with full and
ample power to nominate constitute and appoint any one or more attorneys
for himself and in his place and stead as he may deem necessary
and expedient who when so appointed shall have and be fully
invested with all power and authority which we have given and
resided in our said Attorney John O Bashford , and we
hereby Ratify and confirm whatsoever our said Attorney may do
or cause to be done in and about the premises
In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and
Seals this 24th day of September 1842
Rebecca Ellis (seal)
Escher Ellis (seal)
Ruhama McCoy (seal)
Frederick Sponseller (seal)
Harriet X Sponseller (Seal)

Witness James H Williamson
Robt King
James Irwin
State of Pennsylvania
Franklin County ⎬
We James H Williamson and Robert King whose
names are hereunto subscribed as certify that Rebecca Ellis Escher Ellis Rhehama
McCoy Harriet Sponseller Frederick Sponseller personally appeared before us two
of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County and State and acknowledged
the [?] & foregoing Power of attorney to be their act and deed for the purposes therein
mentioned and consented that the same may be Recorded in the clerks office of all the
County Courts in the State of Kentucky , we further certify that said Rebecca Escher
Ellis Rhuhama McCoy and Harriet Sponseller & Frederick Ronseller as personally
known to us to be the same persons whose names are subscribed to the [?]
and foregoing power of Attorney . In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands
and seals this 26th day of September 1842
Jas H Williamson JP CP (Seal)
Robt . King J P CP (Seal)

page 422

State of Pennsylvania
Franklin County
I Machias Nead Prothonotory of the
Court of Common Pleas for the county and State aforesaid do hereby certify
that Jas H Williamson and Robert King Esquires whose names
are subscribed to the foregoing certificate now are and were at the time
of Subscribing the same acting Justices of the peace [when] and for
the county of Franklin duly commissioned and Qualified as such
that the [comfecall] is a due form of Law , and the signatures are true
and genuine , and that full faith and credit are due and should
be given to all their acts as such In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand & affixed the seal of my Court and Office this 10th
day of October AD 1842
Machias Read Rothy
By Benj . F Neal Deputy

State of Pennsylvania
Franklin County
Sct
I Robert Smith one of the judges of the
Court of Common Pleas within and for Franklin County whose name
and seal appear in the foregoing certificate now is and was at the
line of the same Clerk of the County Court for the county aforesaid
and that his certificate and Seal of Office are genuine and in due
form of law and as such included to full faith and credit as
well act as in the State of Pennsylvania . Given under my
hand and seal this 10th day of October 1842
Robert Smith (seal)
Franklin County Sct
Before us two of the Justices of Peace
in and for said County personally came James Irwin who
being duly sworn according to Law such that he was well ac
quainted with Rebecca Ellis Mother to Rebecca Ellis Escher
Ellis Rheuhama McCoy and Harriet Sponseller the signers
of the foregoing Power of Attorney previously to her marriage
when she was Rebecca Crawford daughter of Robert Crawford
of his county . And further deponent saith not
James Irwin
Sworn & Subscribed
before us
Jas H Williamson
Robt King

Commonwealth of Kentucky Lincoln County to wit
I Thomas Helen Clerk of the County Court for the County afsd do cer
tify that this power of Attorney from Rebecca Ellis Escher Ellis Rheuhama
McCoy Harriet Sponseller and Frederick Sponseller to John Bash
ford was on this day produced to me in my office with the certifi
cates of authentication endorsed thereon was on this day produced to me
in my office . Whereupon said Power of Attorney and Certificate
endorsed together with this certificate has been duly submitted to record in my office
Given from under my hand this 19th day of December
1842
Thomas Helen
Lincoln County Court